1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an improved shelter structure which requires a single center upright, two or more structures being easily interconnected to form larger structure assemblies with minimum ground support.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Simple structures for providing shelter have long been available in the prior art. For example, shelter for livestock, such as horses, has been a requirement for hundreds of years. Recently, many individuals have purchased livestock, particularly horses, for recreational or business purposes. The animals have been either maintained on the purchaser's residential grounds (if the local zoning laws permit), at privately owned stables, or other land to which the purchaser has access.
If the purchaser's land does not have the facilities to shelter the animals from the elements, the need then is to provide the appropriate animal shelter. The simplest shelter comprises a structually supported roof, the cost of prior art shelters being attributable in part to the extent of the ground support required and the nature of the terrain.
Typical of prior art structures are those disclosed in the following United States patents:
U.S. Pat. No. 3,810,481 to Nohumura discloses a tent configuration which does not require a center pole, a plurality of end members and ribs being utilized, the design being arranged such that a plurality of tents could be interconnected; U.S. Pat. No. 3,633,325 to Bartoli discloses a building structure which has a central support column, triangular roof sections, rafter members, horizontal members, vertical posts and a concentrically formed concrete foundation wall; U.S. Pat. No. 2,932,304 to Voege et al discloses a tent construction which enables a series of tents to be fastened together in tandem and includes a vertical support and plurality of triangular roof sections; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,540,010 to May discloses a portable knock-down canopy including a central support post and a plurality of frame connectors.
The aforementioned references, other than Bartoli, describe non-permanent structures in the sense that the tent structures are collapsible and portable. Bartoli, although disclosing a permanent structural design, is designed as a single, relatively large structure which is capable of being constructed on various types of terrain.
What is desired is to provide a simple, inexpensive, permanent, structurally strong and easily constructed shelter structure configuration designed in a manner such that two or more of the structures can be interconnected to form larger structures with a minimum of ground support.